Molded equipment pad with arc-shaped ribs

ABSTRACT

A molded equipment pad having a top deck, side walls, underlying reinforcing radial ribs, and underlying reinforcing arc-shaped ribs. The arc-shaped ribs may include a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the center of the equipment pad and that extend toward the side walls of the pad and a number of distributed circular hubs. Alternatively, the arc-shaped ribs may include a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the center of the equipment pad that end short of the side walls, a series of opposing arc-shaped ribs that are centered on the corners of the equipment pad, and a number of distributed circular hubs.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 13/874,793 filed 1 May 2013; which is acontinuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No.13/874,727 filed 1 May 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,016,653 issued 28 Apr.2015, which claims a benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 61/641,937, filed 3 May 2012, each of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to equipment pads, and more specifically to amolded equipment pad with underlying reinforcing arc-shaped ribs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Molded equipment pads are molded using thermoplastic, thermoset, andconcrete materials and are designed to support heavy equipment, such asan air conditioning unit. In connection with such a molded equipmentpad, the equipment pad must be designed with sufficient strength tosupport the heavy equipment while at the same time minimizing the amountof material used in the manufacturing of the equipment pad.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Consequently, there is a need for a molded equipment pad that hassufficient strength to support heavy equipment while at the same timeminimizing the amount of material used to construct the equipment pad.Minimizing the amount of material used in the construction of theequipment pad saves on cost, saves on weight, and minimizes theenvironmental impact of the manufacturing process of the equipment pad,the distribution of the equipment pad, and the ultimate disposal of theequipment pad.

The equipment pad of the present invention is molded of a thermoplastic,thermoset, or concrete material and is designed to support heavyequipment such as an air conditioner unit while minimizing the amount ofmaterial used in the construction of the equipment pad. The materialused to mold the equipment pad of the present invention may be anyconventional thermoplastic, thermoset, or concrete materials materialused for molding equipment pads. A molded equipment pad in accordancewith the present invention has a continuous equipment support deck,perimeter side walls, and an underlying network of arc-shapedreinforcing ribs.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the underlying network ofreinforcing ribs includes both radial ribs and arc-shaped ribs.Particularly, the radial ribs are straight and radiate from the centerpoint of the equipment pad. The arc-shaped ribs include a series ofconcentric arc-shaped ribs (centered on the center point of theequipment pad) and a number of distributed circular hubs. The concentricarc-shaped ribs radiate in concentric circles toward the side walls ofthe equipment pad, and the outermost concentric arc-shaped ribsintersect the side walls of the equipment pad. The concentric arc-shapedribs may constitute a segment of a circle, a segment of an ellipse, or asegment of any other curved line, including smooth curved lines andcurved lines with irregular curvature.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the molded equipment pad hasradial ribs, arc-shaped ribs, and a number of distributed circular hubs.The arc-shaped ribs comprise a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs(centered on the center point of the equipment pad) and a series ofopposing arc-shaped ribs (centered on the corners of the equipment pad).The concentric arc-shaped ribs radiate in concentric circles toward theside walls, but the outermost concentric arc-shaped ribs end short ofthe side walls of the equipment pad. The opposing arc- shaped ribs arecentered on the corners of the equipment pad, radiate in concentriccircles toward the center of the equipment pad, and intersect the sidewalls, the radial ribs, and the concentric arc-shaped ribs. The centerarc-shaped ribs and the opposing arc-shaped ribs may constitute segmentsof a circle, segments of an ellipse, or segments of any other curvedline, including smooth curved lines and curved lines with irregularcurvature.

Where the radial ribs, the concentric arc-shaped ribs, and the opposingarc-shaped ribs intersect each other and intersect the side walls, theribs may have gussets resulting from adding height to the rib at theintersection. Moreover, where the ribs intersect each other, theintersection may be in the form of a post-shaped fillet to increase thestrength of the intersection. Such gusseted and filleted intersectionsallow the height of the ribs between the gusseted and filletedintersections to be reduced with the attendant reduction of material.

When the pad is loaded as intended, a force is exerted perpendicular tothe top deck. The concentric arc-shaped ribs and the opposing arc-shapedribs react to the perpendicular force by “flattening” and supporting thetop deck more evenly than conventional straight-line ribs. The nature ofthe arc shape allows the ribs to react to the applied forces in acompound manner on multiple planes of support. The “flattening” of thenetwork of arc-shaped ribs is counteracted by the straight-line radialribs. The radial ribs also tie the network of arc-shaped ribs together,which furthers the arc-shaped ribs' ability to counteract downwardforces on the top deck.

In the second embodiment of the invention, the outer opposing arc-shapedribs of the molded equipment pad reinforce the outermost concentricarc-shaped ribs in a fashion similar to the reinforcement provided bythe straight radial ribs. The design of the opposing arc-shaped ribsalso provides a more frequent support interval to the substantiallyperpendicular perimeter side walls than if the pattern of concentricarc-shaped ribs were propagated all the way to the side walls of theequipment pad as configured in the first embodiment of the invention.The outer opposing arc-shaped ribs are also gusseted where they meet theequipment pad side walls to reinforce the side walls of the pad.

In both the first and second embodiments, distributed circular hubs arelocated in each of the quadrants of the equipment pad. The radial ribsextend through the circular hubs, and the circular hubs have straighthub cross ribs positioned within the distributed circular hubs. Thestraight hub cross ribs and the portions of the radial ribs within thecircular hubs support the top deck at the centers of the circular hubs.The straight hub cross ribs and the portions of the radial ribs withinthe circular hubs are gusseted where the straight hub cross ribs and theradial ribs intersect the inside of the circular hubs.

The height of the concentric arch-shaped ribs and of the opposingarc-shaped ribs varies according to the length of the arc-shaped ribswith longer ribs being taller to compensate for the increase in forcesapplied over the length. By varying rib heights, the amount of materialfor the ribs can be optimized. With the ribs optimized, the top deck canbe substantially thinner because the deck strength is not dictatedsolely by the thickness of the deck. Particularly, the equipment pad inaccordance with the present invention has a number of short ribs tocompensate for the lost stiffness by thinning the top deck. Theequipment pad in accordance with the present invention has a top deckthat is twice as stiff (measured by maximum deflection at a fixed load)as conventional pad with a deck that is more than twice as thick. Theinvention thus results in an equipment pad that is lighter withincreased structural strength by using less polymer material.

In a third embodiment of the present invention, the molded equipment padhas corner originating arc-shaped ribs each of which is the arc of acircle having its center point located midway between the corners of theequipment pad and outside the side walls of the equipment pad.

In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the molded equipmentpad has a series of arc-shaped ribs each in the form of a sine waveextending across either the length or the width of the equipment pad orextending across both the length and the width of the equipment pad.

In a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the molded equipment padhas a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs (centered on the pad centerpoint). Each of the concentric arc-shaped ribs has an irregular shapedcurvature made up of short segments to create an undulating curvaturefor the concentric arc-shaped ribs.

In a sixth embodiment of the present invention, the molded equipment padhas a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs (centered on the pad centerpoint). Each of the concentric arc-shaped ribs has an irregular shapedcurvature made up of short segments connected at obtuse angles to eachother to create a segmented curvature for the concentric arc-shapedribs.

In a seventh embodiment of the present invention, the molded equipmentpad has two (or more) sections with a center point for each section. Themolded equipment pad has concentric arc-shaped ribs centered on thecenter points of the equipment pad, corner opposing arc-shaped ribscentered on the corners of the equipment pad, and side opposingarc-shaped ribs centered on center points along the sides and positionedbetween the corners of the equipment pad. The concentric arc-shaped ribsradiate outwardly from the center points and may or may not intersectthe side walls of the equipment pad. The corner opposing arc-shaped ribsmay or may not intersect the concentric arcs-shaped ribs, and the sideopposing arc-shaped ribs may or may not intersect the concentricarc-shaped ribs. The center arc-shaped ribs, the corner opposingarc-shaped ribs, and the side opposing arc-shaped ribs may constitutesegments of a circle, segments of an ellipse, or segments of any othercurved line, including smooth curved lines and curved lines withirregular curvature. The seventh embodiment of the present invention mayalso have radial ribs radiating from each of the center points.

Further objects, features and advantages will become apparent uponconsideration of the following detailed description of the inventionwhen taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an equipment pad in accordance witha first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the equipment pad in accordancewith the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the equipment pad 111 accordance with thefirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the equipment pad in accordance with thefirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the equipment pad in accordance withthe first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a stack of equipment pads, stackedfor shipping and storage, in accordance with a first embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the stack of equipment pads,stacked for shipping and storage, in accordance with the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of an equipment pad in accordance witha second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of the equipment pad in accordancewith the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the equipment pad in accordance with thesecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the equipment pad in accordance withthe second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of the equipment pad in accordance withthe second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13B is an enlarged bottom perspective view of the equipment pad(circled in FIG. 13A) in accordance with the second embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 14A is an enlarged bottom perspective view of the equipment pad(circled in FIG. 14B) in accordance with the second embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 15 is a bottom perspective view of an equipment pad in accordancewith a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a bottom plan view of the equipment pad in accordance withthe third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a bottom perspective view of an equipment pad in accordancewith a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a bottom plan view of the equipment pad in accordance withthe fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a bottom perspective view of an equipment pad in accordancewith a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a bottom plan view of the equipment pad in accordance withthe fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a bottom perspective view of an equipment pad in accordancewith a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a bottom plan view of the equipment pad in accordance withthe sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a bottom perspective view of an equipment pad in accordancewith a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a bottom plan view of the equipment pad in accordance withthe seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a bottom perspective view of a competitive equipment pad,Brand A.

FIG. 26 is a bottom perspective view of a competitive equipment pad,Brand B.

FIG. 27 is a bottom perspective view of a competitive equipment pad,Brand C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1-7 illustrate a first embodiment of a molded equipment pad with,reinforcing radial ribs, reinforcing concentric arc-shaped ribs, anddistributed hubs.

FIGS. 8-14 illustrate a second embodiment of a molded equipment padwith, reinforcing radial ribs, reinforcing concentric arc-shaped ribs,reinforcing opposing arc-shaped ribs, and distributed hubs.

FIGS. 15-16 illustrate a third embodiment of a molded equipment pad withreinforcing corner originating arc-shaped ribs.

FIGS. 17-18 illustrate a fourth embodiment of a molded equipment padwith reinforcing sine wave arc-shaped ribs.

FIGS. 19-20 illustrate a fifth embodiment of a molded equipment pad withreinforcing concentric arc-shaped ribs with irregular undulatingcurvature.

FIGS. 21-22 illustrate a sixth embodiment of a molded equipment pad withreinforcing concentric arc-shaped ribs with irregular segmentedcurvature.

FIGS. 23-24 illustrate a seventh embodiment of a molded equipment padtwo sections, each section with reinforcing concentric arc-shaped ribs,side opposing arc-shaped ribs and corner opposing arc-shaped ribs.

Turning to FIGS. 1-5 , a molded equipment pad 10 comprises an equipmentsupport deck 12 having a deck top surface 14 and a deck bottom surface16, side walls 22 having internal surfaces 24 and external services 26,and an underlying network 30 of reinforcing ribs attached to the bottomsurface 16 of the deck 12. The material used to mold the equipment pad10 of the present invention may include virtually any moldable material.Suitable materials may include without limitation, thermoplastics(including polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS, styrene, and nylon),thermosets, and concrete (including polymer concrete, self consolidatingconcrete, and conventional concrete).

The equipment support deck 12 is generally rectangular with a centerpoint 18 generally equidistant from the side walls 22. The equipmentsupport deck 12 may also be other geometric shapes including but notlimited to square, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, orelliptical. The top surface 14 of the deck 12 is generally planar. Thefour side walls 22 are attached to the edges of the deck 12 and extenddownwardly. The four side walls 22 are joined at their edges to formcorners 20 of the pad 10.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , a network 30 of reinforcing ribs is attachedto the bottom surface 16 of the deck 12 and occupies the space betweenthe side walls 22. The network 30 of reinforcing ribs includes segmentsof straight radial ribs 32 that extend from the side walls 22 toward thecenter point 18 and segments of straight radial ribs 33 that extend fromthe corners 20 toward the center point 18. Post-shaped fillets 46 areused at the intersections of the straight radial ribs 32 and theinternal surface 24 of the side walls 22 to reinforce the intersection.The post shaped fillets 46 also have openings to accept anti-vibrationrubber bumpers (not shown). Likewise, post-shaped fillets 46 are used atthe intersections of the straight radial ribs 33 and the corners 20 toreinforce the intersections. The network 30 of reinforcing ribs furtherincludes segments of a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs 36 that arecentered on the center point 18. The concentric arc-shaped ribs 36intersect the straight radial ribs 32 and 33, and the outermost segmentsof the arc-shaped ribs 36 intersect the internal surface 24 on the sidewalls 22. As the concentric arc-shaped ribs 36 are positioned furtherfrom the center point 18, the height of the concentric arc-shaped ribs36 increases to provide greater strength in the longer segments of theconcentric arc-shaped ribs 36 between the straight radial ribs 32 and33. For example, the outermost segment 36A of the concentric arc-shapedribs 36 has a greater height than the innermost segment 36E with thesegments 36A-36E gradually decreasing in height as the segments becomeshorter between the straight radial ribs 32 and 33.

With continuing reference to FIGS. 2 and 4 , the network 30 ofreinforcing ribs further includes distributed circular hubs 40 and acenter hub 41. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , the centercircular hub 41 is centered on the center point 18 of the network 30 ofreinforcing ribs, and the four distributed hubs 40 are each located inthe four quadrants of the network 30 of reinforcing ribs. With referenceto FIG. 2 , the straight radial ribs 33 extended through and intersectthe distributed hubs 40, and therefore reinforce the walls of thedistributed hubs 40. Inside the distributed hubs 40 the straight radialribs 33 are of reduced height because the reinforcement of the deck 12by the distributed hubs 40 reduces the reinforcement requirements of thestraight radial ribs 33 inside the distributed hubs 40. In addition, hubcross ribs 42 are positioned at essentially right angles to the segmentsof the radial ribs 33 inside the distributed hubs 40. The hub cross ribs42 lend additional support to the deck 12 inside the distributed hubs40. The hub cross ribs 42 are of reduced height because of the supportprovided by the distributed hubs 40 themselves. The hub cross ribs 42and the segments of the straight radial ribs 33 inside the distributedhubs 40 have increased height or gussets 44 where the hub cross ribs 42and the segments of the straight radial ribs 33 intersect thedistributed hubs 40 to add additional strength to the intersectionpoints. Similarly, the portions of the radial ribs 33 outside of thedistributed hubs 40 have increased height or gussets 45 where the radialribs 33 intersect the outside of the distributed hubs 40 to increase thestrength of the intersection. The segments of the radial ribs 33 insidethe center circular hub 41 are the same height as the walls of thecenter circular hub 41. The segments of the radial ribs 33 outside thecenter circular hub 41 are of reduced height with a gusset where thesegments of the radial ribs 33 intersect the outside wall of the centercircular hub 41.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the equipment pads IO are nestable whenstacked to form a stack 28 because the side walls 22 are flaredoutwardly and the height of the reinforcing network 30 of reinforcingribs is less than the height of the side walls 22.

With reference to FIGS. 8-14 , a second embodiment of a molded equipmentpad 110 comprises an equipment support deck 112 having a deck topsurface 114 and a deck bottom surface 116, side walls 122 havinginternal surfaces 124 and external surfaces 126, and an underlyingnetwork 130 of reinforcing ribs attached to the bottom surface 116 ofthe deck 112.

The equipment support deck 112 is generally rectangular with a centerpoint 118 generally equidistant from the side walls 122. The equipmentsupport deck 112 may also be other geometric shapes including but notlimited to square, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, orelliptical. The top surface 114 of the deck 112 is generally planar. Thefour side walls 122 are attached to the edges of the deck 112 and extenddownwardly. The four side walls 122 are joined at their edges to formcorners 120 of the equipment pad 110.

As shown in FIGS. 9, 11, 13B, and 14B, the network 130 of reinforcingribs is attached to the bottom surface 116 of the deck 112 and occupiesthe space between the side walls 122. The network 130 of reinforcingribs includes segments of straight radial ribs 132 that extend from sidewalls 122 toward the center point 118 and segments of straight radialribs 133 that extend from the corners 120 toward the center point I 18.The network 130 of reinforcing ribs also includes segments of a seriesof concentric arc-shaped ribs 136 that are centered on the center point118. The concentric arc-shaped ribs 136 intersect the straight radialribs 132 and 133. As the concentric arc-shaped ribs 136 are positionedfurther from the center point 118, the height of the concentricarc-shaped ribs 136 increases to provide greater strength in the longersegments of the concentric arc-shaped ribs 136 between the straightradial ribs 132 and 133. For example, the outermost segment 136A of theconcentric arc-shaped ribs 136 has a greater height than the innermostsegment I 36F with the segments I 36A-I 36F gradually decreasing inheight as the segments become shorter between the straight radial ribs132 and 133. In this second embodiment, the outermost segments I 36A ofthe concentric arc-shaped ribs 136 do not intersect the internal surface124 on the side walls 122. Instead, the network 130 of reinforcing ribsincludes segments of opposing arc-shaped ribs 138 that are centered onthe corners 120 of the pad 110. The opposing arc-shaped ribs 138 alsohave varying heights depending on the length of the segments of theopposing arc-shaped ribs 138. For example, opposing arc-shaped ribs at138A, I 388, and I 38C decrease in height as the length of the segmentdecreases.

With continuing reference to FIGS. 9, 11, 13B, and 14B, the network 130of reinforcing ribs further includes distributed circular hubs 140 and acenter hub 141. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 11 , the centercircular hub 141 is centered on the center point 118 of the network 130of reinforcing ribs, and the four distributed hubs 140 are each locatedin the four quadrants of the network 130 of reinforcing ribs. Withreference to FIGS. 9, 11, 13B, and 14B, the straight radial ribs 133extended through and intersect the distributed hubs 140, and thereforereinforce the walls of the distributed hubs 140. Inside the distributedhubs 140 the straight radial ribs 133 are of reduced height because thereinforcement of the deck 112 by the distributed hubs 140 reduces thereinforcement requirements of the straight radial ribs 133 inside thedistributed hubs 140. In addition, hub cross ribs 142 are positioned atessentially right angles to the segments of the radial ribs 133 insidethe distributed hubs 140. The hub cross ribs 142 lend additional supportto the deck 112 inside the distributed hubs 140. The hub cross ribs 142are of reduced height because of the support provided by the distributedhubs 140 themselves. The hub cross ribs 142 and the segments of thestraight radial ribs 133 inside the distributed hubs 140 have increasedheight or gussets 144 where the hub cross ribs 142 and the segments ofthe straight radial ribs 133 intersect the distributed hubs 140 to addadditional strength to the intersection. The segments of the radial ribs133 inside the center circular hub 141 are the same height as the wallsof the center circular hub 141. The segments of the radial ribs 133outside the center circular hub 141 are the same height as the walls ofthe center circular hub 141. The straight radial ribs 132 are the sameheight as the wall of the center circular hub 141 along their length.

The straight radial ribs 133 intersect the corners 120, the opposingarc-shaped ribs 138, the concentric arc-shaped ribs 136, the distributedcircular hubs 140, and the center circular hub 141. The opposingarc-shaped ribs 138 intersect the internal surface 124 of the side walls122, the straight radial ribs 133, the concentric arc-shaped ribs 136,and the distributed hubs 140 located in each of the four quadrants ofthe equipment pad 110. The concentric arc-shaped ribs 136 intersect thestraight radial ribs 133, the straight radial ribs 132, the opposingarc-shaped 138, and the distributed hubs 140. Where the ribs, thesidewalls, and the hubs intersect, gussets, such as gussets 145 insidethe distributed hubs 140 and gussets 147 where the opposing arc-shapedribs 138 meet the side walls 122, strengthen the intersections. Inaddition, post-shaped fillets, such as fillets 146 strengthen theintersection between concentric arc-shaped ribs 136, opposing arc-shapedribs 138, straight radial ribs 132 and 133. The post shaped fillets 146also have openings to accept anti-vibration rubber bumpers (not shown).Additional post-shaped fillets, such as fillets 148, may be placed atpoints along the length of the ribs to provide additional structuralstrength.

The equipment pad 110 in accordance with the second embodiment of thepresent invention has a top deck 112 that is twice as stiff (measured bymaximum deflection at a fixed load) as conventional pads with a deckthat is more than twice as thick. The invention thus results in anequipment pad that is lighter with increased structural strength byusing less polymer material. Three conventional mold equipment pads,Brands A, B, and C, are illustrated in FIGS. 25, 26, and 27 . Table Isets forth the relevant deflections of each of the equipment padsincluding an equipment pad 110 in accordance with the second embodimentof the present invention.

TABLE 1 Max Deflection Pad Model (mm) w/150 lb Load Brand A 0.236 BrandB 0.057 Brand C 0.048 Second Embodiment of the 0.022 Present Invention(FIGS. 8-14)

With reference to FIGS. 15 and 16 , a third embodiment of a moldedequipment pad 210 comprises an equipment support deck 212 having a decktop surface (not shown) and a deck bottom surface 216, side walls 222having internal surfaces 224 and external surfaces 226, and anunderlying network 230 of reinforcing, corner originating arc-shapedribs 236. The reinforcing, corner originating arc-shaped ribs 236originate at each of the four corners 220 and arch toward the centerpoint 218 of the bottom surface 216 of the equipment pad 210. Each ofthe corner originating arc-shaped ribs 236 constitutes a segment of acircle having its center centered on the midpoint of each side wall 222and lying outside of the bounds of the equipment pad 210. While FIGS. 15and 16 show four corner originating arc-shaped ribs 236, additionalconcentric arc-shaped ribs may be added to the bottom surface 216 of thesuppo11 deck 212 to add additional strength if necessary.

With reference to FIGS. 17 and 18 , a fourth embodiment of a moldedequipment pad 310 comprises an equipment support deck 312 having a decktop surface (not shown) and a deck bottom surface 316, side walls 322having internal surfaces 324 and external surfaces 326, and anunderlying network 330 of reinforcing, sinusoidal arc-shaped ribs 336.The reinforcing, sinusoidal arc-shaped ribs 336 are composed of a seriesof arc-shaped segments, such as segments 336A and 336B. The sinusoidalarc-shaped ribs 336 extend across the width of the space between twoopposing side walls 322A and 322B. While FIGS. 17 and 18 show a seriesof substantially parallel sinusoidal arc-shaped ribs 336 extending inone direction across the bottom surface 316 of the equipment pad 310,additional sinusoidal-shaped ribs 336 maybe added to the bottom surface316 of the support deck 312 at essentially right angles to thesinusoidal arc-shaped ribs 336 shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 .

With reference to FIGS. 19 and 20 , a fifth embodiment of a moldedequipment pad 410 comprises an equipment support deck 412 having a decktop surface (not shown) and a deck bottom surface 416, side walls 422having internal surfaces 424 and external surfaces 426, and anunderlying network 430 of reinforcing, concentric arc-shaped ribs 436with an irregular undulating curvature. The reinforcing, concentricarc-shaped ribs 436 are centered on the center point 418 of the supportdeck 412. The concentric arc-shaped ribs 436 constitute a series ofsegments, such as repeating segments 436A, 436B, and 436C. While FIGS.19 and 20 show three concentric arc-shaped ribs 436 with irregularundulating curvature, additional concentric arc-shaped ribs 436 may beadded to the bottom surface 416 of the support deck at 412 to addadditional strength if necessary.

With reference to FIGS. 21 and 22 , a sixth embodiment of a moldedequipment pad 510 comprises an equipment support deck 512 having a decktop surface (not shown) and a deck bottom surface 516, side walls 522having internal surfaces 524 and external surfaces 526, and anunderlying network 530 of reinforcing, concentric arc-shaped ribs 536with a segmented curvature. The reinforcing, concentric arc-shaped ribs536 with the segmented curvature are centered on the center point 518 ofthe support deck 512. The concentric arc-shaped ribs 536 comprise aseries of segments, such as repeating segments 536A and 536B. WhileFIGS. 21 and 22 show three concentric arc-shaped ribs 536 with thesegmented curvature, additional concentric arc-shaped ribs 536 may beadded to the bottom surface 516 of the support deck 512 to addadditional strength if necessary.

With reference to FIGS. 23 and 24 , a seventh embodiment of a moldedequipment pad 610 comprises an equipment support deck 612 having a decktop surface (not shown) and a deck bottom surface 616, side walls 622having internal surfaces 624 and external surfaces 626, and anunderlying network 630 of reinforcing ribs attached to the bottomsurface 616 of the deck 612.

The equipment support deck 612 is generally rectangular with generallysquare sections 612A and 612B. Each of the sections 612A and 612B hascenter points 618A and 618B respectively. The equipment support deck 612may also be other geometric shapes, including but not limited to square,triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, or elliptical. The topsurface (not shown) and the bottom surface 616 of the deck 612 aregenerally planar. The four side walls 622 are attached to the edges ofthe deck 612 and extend downwardly. The four side walls 622 are joinedat their edges to form corners 620 of the equipment pad 610.

As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 , the network 630 of reinforcing ribs isattached to the bottom surface 616 of the deck 612 and occupies thespace between the side walls 622. The network 630 of reinforcing ribsincludes a series of concentric arc-shaped ribs 636A and 618B that arecentered on the center points 618A and 636B respectively and radiateoutwardly toward the side walls 622. As the concentric arc-shaped ribs636A and 636B are positioned further from the center points 6 I 8A and636B, the height of the concentric arc-shaped ribs 636A and 636Bincreases to provide greater strength in the longer segments of theconcentric arc-shaped ribs 636A and 636B. In this seventh embodiment,the outermost segments of the concentric arc-shaped ribs 636A and 636Bdo not intersect the internal surface 624 on the side walls 622.Instead, the network 630 of reinforcing ribs includes segments of corneropposing arc-shaped ribs 638A and 638B that are centered on the corners620 of the pad 610. The corner opposing arc-shaped ribs 638A and 638Bare of varying heights depending on the length of the segments of thecorner opposing arc-shaped ribs 638A and 638B. The network 630 ofreinforcing ribs also includes segments of side opposing arc-shaped ribs638C that are centered on the sides 622 of the pad 610. The sideopposing arc-shaped ribs 638C are of varying heights depending on thelength of the segments of the side opposing arc-shaped ribs 638C.

As shown FIGS. 23 and 24 , the concentric arc-shaped ribs 636A and 636Bintersect the side opposing arcs-shaped ribs 638C but do not intersectthe corner opposing arc-shaped ribs 638A and 638B nor do the concentricarc-shaped ribs 636A and 636B intersect the side walls 622. The seventhembodiment, however, can be modified so that the concentric arc- shapedribs 636A and 636B, the side opposing arcs-shaped ribs 638C, and thecorner opposing arc-shaped ribs 638A and 638B intersect each other.Further, radial ribs passing through the center points 618A and 6 I 8Bmay be added to the network 630 of reinforcing ribs.

While this invention has been described with reference to preferredembodiments thereof, it is to be understood that variations andmodifications can be affected within the spirit and scope of theinvention as described herein and as described in the appended claims.

1. A method, comprising: accessing a first pad including a first deck, afirst sidewall, and a first set of ribs, wherein the first sidewall andthe first set of ribs extend from the first deck such that the firstsidewall encloses the first set of ribs, wherein the first set of ribsincludes a first hub wall and a first group of walls extending from thefirst hub wall radially, wherein the first sidewall and the first set ofribs are monolithic with the first deck; accessing a second padincluding a second deck, a second sidewall, and a second set of ribs,wherein the second sidewall and the second set of ribs extend from thesecond deck such that the second sidewall encloses the second set ofribs, wherein the second set of ribs includes a second hub wall and asecond group of walls extending from the second hub wall radially,wherein the second sidewall and the second set of ribs are monolithicwith the second deck; forming a stack where the second pad is positionedon the first pad; removing the first pad or the second pad from thestack; positioning the first pad or the second pad on a surface; andpositioning an air conditioning unit on the first deck or the seconddeck.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group of walls or thesecond group of walls includes at least two walls that differ from eachother in length.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of ribsor the second set of ribs includes a plurality of walls spanning betweenat least two walls of the first group of walls or the second group ofwalls.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of walls differfrom each other in length.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein theplurality of walls are uniform in height.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the first group of walls or the second group of walls includesat least one wall that dips toward the first deck or the second deck. 7.The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one wall that dips twicetoward the first deck or the second deck.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein the first deck or the second deck has a rectangular shape. 9.The method of claim 8, wherein the rectangular shape is a square shape.10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall or the secondsidewall is flared outwardly relative to the first deck or the seconddeck such that the stack has the second pad positioned on the first pad.11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall or the secondsidewall has a first height, wherein the first set of ribs or the secondset of ribs has a second height lesser than the first height.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first pad or the second pad constitutesplastic.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group of walls orthe second group of walls includes at least one wall that varies inthickness.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group of wallsor the second group of walls spans between the first hub wall and thefirst sidewall or the second hub wall and the second sidewall.
 15. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first hub wall or the second hub wall ispolygonal.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group of wallshas at least two walls that intersect each other within the first hubwall or the second group of walls has at least two walls that intersecteach other within the second hub wall.
 17. The method of claim 1,wherein the first hub wall or the second hub wall is centrallypositioned on the first deck or the second deck.
 18. The method of claim1, wherein the second hub wall overlaps the first hub wall in the stack.19. The method of claim 1, wherein the second group of walls overlapsthe first group of walls in the stack.
 20. A method, comprising:accessing a first pad including a first deck, a first sidewall, and afirst set of ribs, wherein the first sidewall and the first set of ribsextend from the first deck such that the first sidewall encloses thefirst set of ribs, wherein the first set of ribs includes a first hubwall and a first group of walls extending from the first hub wallradially, wherein the first sidewall and the first set of ribs aremonolithic with the first deck; accessing a second pad including asecond deck, a second sidewall, and a second set of ribs, wherein thesecond sidewall and the second set of ribs extend from the second decksuch that the second sidewall encloses the second set of ribs, whereinthe second set of ribs includes a second hub wall and a second group ofwalls extending from the second hub wall radially, wherein the secondsidewall and the second set of ribs are monolithic with the second deck;and enabling a user to form a stack where the second pad is positionedon the first pad, remove the first pad or the second pad from the stack,position the first pad or the second pad on a surface, and position anair conditioning unit on the first deck or the second deck.
 21. Asystem, comprising: an air conditioning unit; and a pad including adeck, a sidewall, and a set of ribs, wherein the sidewall and the set ofribs extend from the deck such that the sidewall encloses the set ofribs, wherein the set of ribs includes a hub wall and a group of wallsextending from the hub wall radially, wherein the sidewall and the setof ribs are monolithic with the deck, wherein the air conditioning unitis positioned on the deck.
 22. A method, comprising: enabling a user to:access a pad including a deck, a sidewall, and a set of ribs, whereinthe sidewall and the set of ribs extend from the deck such that thesidewall encloses the set of ribs, wherein the sidewall and the set ofribs are monolithic with the deck, wherein the set of ribs includes ahub wall and a group of walls, wherein the group of walls is external tothe hub wall, wherein the group of walls includes a wall extending fromthe sidewall, wherein the wall varies in height relative to the deck;and position an air conditioning unit on the deck.
 23. The method ofclaim 22, wherein the wall decreases in height as the wall extends fromthe sidewall.
 24. The method of claim 22, wherein the wall avoidsextending from the hub wall.
 25. The method of claim 22, wherein thewall is a first wall, wherein the group of walls includes a second wall,wherein the first wall spans between the sidewall and the second wall.26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second wall includes a tube thatis hollow.
 27. The method of claim 22, wherein the set of ribs includesa set of walls, wherein the hub wall encloses the set of walls.
 28. Themethod of claim 27, wherein each wall in the set of walls is lesser inheight relative to the deck than the hub wall.
 29. The method of claim22, wherein the wall extends towards the hub wall.
 30. The method ofclaim 22, wherein the set of ribs includes a group of hub walls that arespaced apart from each other, wherein the group of hub walls includesthe hub wall.